1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flow path selector for use in wind instruments made of metal, such as trumpets or horns, which valve comprises a pair of valve members, which are integrally connected.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For use as flow path selector valves of wind instruments made of metal, so-called Perinet valves are known as well as rotary valves.
A Perinet valve comprises a cylinder, in which a piston is longitudinally slidable against spring force. The piston has longitudinal and transverse bores so that the air can be conducted along a shorter or longer path for a generation of different tones. The passages are round in cross-section so that they permit of a free flow of the air; this is desirable for achieving a large sound volume and a high quality of the tone. But the long actuating stroke and the high inertia of said valves oppose a fast playing.
A rotary valve comprises a valve disc, which is provided at its periphery with air inlets and air outlets, and said inlets and outlets communicate with each other through radial or sector-like passages. Whereas such valve permits of a fast playing owing to its short actuating stroke, the air flowing in the air passages is strongly deflected by sharp edges and constrictions formed in the disc so that the sound volume and the quality of the tone as well as the ease with which the tone can be produced will be adversely affected.
German Patent Specification No. 29 18 247 discloses a rotary valve which comprises a pair of valve members, which are non-rotatably connected and consist each of a solid of revolution, which is provided with a curved pipe section and formed with an axial opening in an outer end portion and with a lateral opening in the shell of the valve member. Said lateral opening can be connected by one or the other of two air ducts, which define flow paths differing in length. The selected flow path will depend on the position to which the valve members have been rotated. That valve is specially designed for a particular instrument, e.g., for a triple horn having a plurality of tuning slides which are to be controlled.